Blood cancer which is medically known as Leukemia, is a serious medical condition that is caused by the rise in White blood cells in the body.

The white blood cells becomes more than the red blood cells and platelets.

SYMPTOMS

According to a publication by WebMD, the following are the symptoms of blood cancer;

-Weakness or fatigue

-Bruising or bleeding easily

-Fever or chills

-Infections that are severe or keep coming back

– Pains in your bones or joints

-Headaches

-Vomiting

-Seizures

-Weight loss

-Night sweats

-Shortness of breath

-Swollen lymph nodes

Risk Factors For Cancer;

The risk factors associated with this condition are;

-Smoke

-When you are exposed to a lot of radiations or certain chemicals

-If you have had Chemotherapy to treat cancer before

– If you have a family history of leukemia

-Have a genetic disorder like Down Syndrome.

HOW BLOOD CANCER HAPPENS

It is pertinent to note that Blood has three types of cells which are:

1-White blood cells that fight infection

2- Red blood cells that carry oxygen

3 – Platelets that you blood clot.

The body makes many new blood cells in the bone marrow.

Leukemia occurs when the body makes more white blood cells that are not useful to the body. If left untreated, it begins to attack the organs of the body. it on will also affect the production of Platelets and Red blood cells.

CLASSIFICATION OF LEUKEMIA.

This condition is classified according to how fast they develope the type of blood cells that is affected.

They are as follows;

1- Classification of this condition as per how fast the develop:

–Acute leukemia happens when most of the abnormal blood cells don’t mature and can’t carry out normal functions. It can get bad very fast.

– Chronic leukemia. Chronic leukemia happens when immature cells exist with normal cells. The normal cells continue to work as expected. It gets bad more slowly.

2- Classification according to the type of cell that is involved are as follows;

-Lymphocytic leukemia occurs when the bone marrow cells become lymphocytes, which is a kind of white blood cell.

-Myelogenous or myeloid leukemia occurs when the bone marrow makes red blood cells, platelets and other types of White blood cells.

TYPES OF LEUKEMIA

The four main types of leukemia are:

– Acute lymphocytic leukemia

– Acute myelogenous leukemia

– Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

– Chronic myelogenous leukemia.

TREATMENTS

The treatment of this condition will be according to it’s cause but will generally include;

-Chemotherapy

-Radiation

-Biologic therapy

-Targeted therapy

-Stem cell transplant

-Surgery.